Retail giant Target is shuffling its LGBTQ merchandise and making strategic adjustments ahead of Pride month.
The unexpected move comes in response to an uproar from customers, some of whom have taken their discontent to distressing extremes.
“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work. Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior.” Target
While the retailer discreetly declined to divulge the specific items in question, a few products attracted significant attention.
Target’s Products Have Generated Heated Debates
According to ABC7, the “tuck-friendly” women’s swimsuits designed to offer trans women an option to conceal certain private parts have stirred heated discussions.
Additionally, designs from Abprallen, a London-based company specializing in occult and satanic-themed LGBTQ apparel and accessories, have had their fair share of backlash.
The Pride merchandise had been available for purchase since early May, with Pride month scheduled for June.
To combat the confrontational encounters and adverse reactions from customers, Target has relocated its Pride merchandise from the front to the back of some Southern stores.
Amidst the commotion, misleading videos concerning the retailer’s Pride Month collection have also surfaced.
Some mischievous social media users spread false claims that Target was selling “tuck-friendly” bathing suits for children or in kids’ sizes.
Meanwhile, beer brand Bud Light continues to grapple with its unhappy customers, who were less than thrilled about its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
To recoup the lost sales from this association, Bud Light’s parent company will triple its marketing spending in the U.S. this summer.
For roughly a decade, Target, along with other retailers such as Walmart and H&M, has been ramping up its LGBTQ displays to commemorate Pride month.
However, this year’s Pride preparations have encountered a bumpier road due to the divisive nature of transgender issues, encompassing topics like gender-affirming healthcare and participation in sports, which have sparked passionate debates in state legislatures.
Unfortunately, this backlash has taken on an unsettlingly hostile tone.
